cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,580
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Jul 31, 2022 22:49:07 GMT
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I don't know if anyone else is like me but I seem to have this desire to find the MOST basic Escort mk3 even though I've driven a mk3 1.1 Popular since 2013 (which is pretty much the most basic mk3 a person could own). Mostly I want one of these for the colour, rareness factor and pure nostalgia as my folks had a 1981 Base model until 1998 when I was young. When I wanted a 3 door in red the closest I could get was my Popular. The differences between my Popular and the Base model mk3 is: - more basic dashboard (usually seen in mk3 Vans sometimes) - smaller door cards exposing the colour of the Car on the inside. - 2 speed inteior Fan. - Vinyl seats (no headrests) - No glovebox - No parcelshelf - Basic gear knob - one wing mirror - No anti roll bar ( i think) I guess its more of a hang over from the mk2 Escort era and seeing how little Ford could get away with selling to make more money. The holy grail colour is "Sunburst Red" for me as my folks had one like this. I've even thought of spraying my Car in this colour but it would bug me knowing by C reg that colour went out the window in favour of Rosso Red. I think all of these Escorts are probably W or X reg. I might be wrong but I think by A Reg they all looked like mine with the full dash and rest of the popular trim. There is at least 1 base model Estate that I have seen for a sale a few times but I really want a 3 door Sunburst Red 1.3... I'll probably never get one but thought I'd make a post about it to see if i'm the only saddo who wants an even worse Car than the one he owns regardless of the make/model. Also, does anyone know of one of these beauties? It recently dawned on me that theres a few (possibly)on "how many left" still and the older they get the less likely to be saved or more likey to be turned into an XR3. Heres a few pics of true Base model early Escort mk3's Remember kids... if it has headrests, its not a base model haha.  The holy grail          Just for comparison My Popular dash with center vents, full door cards, newer gear knob better seats etc...  Not sure if this is acurate data from " How many left.com"  |
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braaap
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,592
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The holy grail Colorwise maybe, but this one seems to have a second mirror and supports for a parcel shelf.  I could imagine that a lot base specs have been upgraded by later owners with some spec. So how about downgrading a better spec with the "poorer" parts? Might make the whole finding process easier? Reminds me of the so called Spar-Käfer of the 70s. It's german and means Save-Beetle. Those base spec beetles did not have hubcaps, glove box lid e.g. and even a partially different body, since those moonshape vent holes behind the rear windows were completely missing. |
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My cousin had one brand new, in terracotta. I serviced it for him a couple of times & remember thinking just how ‘basic’ it was. On the boot it just said ‘Escort’ 🤣
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Last Edit: Aug 1, 2022 7:00:15 GMT by rattlecan
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cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,580
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The holy grail Colorwise maybe, but this one seems to have a second mirror and supports for a parcel shelf. I could imagine that a lot base specs have been upgraded by later owners with some spec. So how about downgrading a better spec with the "poorer" parts? Might make the whole finding process easier? Reminds me of the so called Spar-Käfer of the 70s. It's german and means Save-Beetle. Those base spec beetles did not have hubcaps, glove box lid e.g. and even a partially different body, since those moonshape vent holes behind the rear windows were completely missing. Its true I did notice the second mirror on this one. The door Cards and seats mean its definitely a base model though. When I've taken the door Cards off mine theres holes along what would be the exposed panels. I did think about finding the rarer parts but it would be the wrong year Car by 3-4 years as mine is an 1985. Still an idea though. Interesting about the Beatle, didnt know that! |
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Paul Y
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,948
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When I was an apprentice mechanic at Gates of Woodford I had the job of 'de base' specing a number of Escorts and Fiesta's. From memory the Fiesta only had one sun visor, possibly also the Escort, the interior light only had a switch on the drivers side, no door mirror on the passenger side and a non dipping rear mirror. Why does this stick in my mind? The sales man thought he could make more cash by buying the base model and then fitting the bits on to make it more 'up market'. After he got the bill for the first one he realised his mistake and we did a deal where I would fit all the bits after work. This was my payment still going strong after the best part of 40 years.  Jesus I am old..... P. |
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cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,580
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When I was an apprentice mechanic at Gates of Woodford I had the job of 'de base' specing a number of Escorts and Fiesta's. From memory the Fiesta only had one sun visor, possibly also the Escort, the interior light only had a switch on the drivers side, no door mirror on the passenger side and a non dipping rear mirror. Why does this stick in my mind? The sales man thought he could make more cash by buying the base model and then fitting the bits on to make it more 'up market'. After he got the bill for the first one he realised his mistake and we did a deal where I would fit all the bits after work. This was my payment still going strong after the best part of 40 years. Jesus I am old..... P. Wow thats wild isnt it! I can't imagine there would be that much profit in doing that as he found out haha. Did you have to swap the dash, door cards and seats?? or was it just the little things like sun visors and mirrors? I didnt realise about the non dipping mirror and sun visor either... thats really tight isnt it and probably fairly dangerous. |
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Paul Y
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,948
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It was just the little thing, to swap the dash and door cards would REALLY not have been worth it! Just reminded myself that the wiring for the courtesy switch was already in place on the passenger side, just no switch... And 4 speed as well to go with the 1.1.... P. |
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paul99
Part of things
Posts: 410 
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Fond memories of 'up specing' my first car, a 1.6 Cavalier L to GL spec....... Passenger side mirror and a cigarette lighter  |
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cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,580
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I found my old Ford Dealer Brochures today. This is the one from 1980 and shows the 3 Door base model in all its glory which comes in to a total of £3374. Thats £1509 cheaper than the 3 Door Ghia. (Also £3374 comes in at £13518 in 2022  )    Out of intrest and for comparison here is the Mk3 3 Door Popular (like mine) which Is the most basic model you can buy in 1985. The 3 door Pop which comes in at £4362.86 which is £988.86 more than the original Base model 4/5 years earlier. They're not throwing in all the extra parcel shelfs, doors mirrors and stereos in there are they! Also £4362.86 comes in at £12351 in 2022  so maybe it was a bit cheaper?)  Interestlingly I've never seen a mk3 Popular that says Popular under the plastic Escort badge? I know the Mk4 had this. Mine did have the side stripes when I got it but lost them in the re spray.  And just as a bonus picture heres the L model with split folding rear seats and plastic side trim.  |
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Back in the day I remember radio rentals the tv people having poverty spec mk3 escorts for there tv engineers in estate and hatch models
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Fraud owners club member
1999 Jaguar s type
1993 ford escort
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Back in the day I remember radio rentals the tv people having poverty spec mk3 escorts for there tv engineers in estate and hatch models Would make good sense I guess & probably still better than the equivalent van at the time |
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In a world where most entry levels have electric windows & A/C its quite easy to forget how basic some models used to be... think it was the Capri where the GL included a clock when the L didn't.
Good luck with the hunt for your unicorn, there may be a 1 pensioner owner example out there with your name on it🤞
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2014 - Audi A6 Avant 3.0Tdi Quattro
1958 - Chevrolet Apache Panel Truck
1959 - Plymouth Custom Suburban
1952 - Chevrolet 2dr Hardtop
1985 - Ford Econoline E350 Quadravan
2009 - Ovlov V70 2.5T
1970 - Cortina Mk2 Estate
2007 - Fiat Ducato LWB 120Multijet
2014 - Honda Civic 2.2 CTDi ES
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rodharris83
Club Retro Rides Member
Day Dreamer...
Posts: 760
Club RR Member Number: 4
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Aug 10, 2022 12:13:43 GMT
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That red 5dr is similar to my first car, only mine was a 1.6 in burgundy. Basic motoring, but utterly reliable and you could fix 90% of faults at the roadside with basic tools. It was rotten though, obviously. |
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cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,580
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Aug 10, 2022 14:45:01 GMT
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Yeah they are a bit more expensive these days. The blue one is exactly like my Red C Reg one and possibly the only other 1985 Popular taxed and tested at the moment. I noticed there was only two on How Many Left the other day and I guess one is mine  Neither of them are the early base model unfortunately. I just nipped out in mine (first time in a week ) and forget how nice it drives compared to my old Capri. Nice and light and quick off the mark for a 1.1 Heres a photo of it at Halford as I need some speaker wire for the Capri  Today I also found a couple of photos from the first time round I lived in Manchester. This is about 2014/2015 in Chorlton and Outside Salford Lads Club. The paint it came with when I bought it was a VW Red and was a bit more orange than what its painted in now. I'm probably splitting hairs wanting an early mk3 base model... they probably wouldn't drive as nice as this. This has an anti roll bar  Still has dealer plates on here  |
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Sept 26, 2023 14:39:03 GMT
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Hi from Finland! I had one of these back in the day. A 1982 Sienna brown Ford Escort 1.3 Cars have always been heavily taxed in Finland, so the very stripped base models of all makes and models were very popular. My car was an early 1982, so it had a 4-speed gearbox, too. Later 1982's had 5-speed gearboxes. Although even the L spec is very humble, there was a lot less of luxury in the base model: - Basic door mirrors (yes, in Finland we had door mirrors on both sides. Must've been mandated by law, can't think of any other reason to spend money on two!!), but the mirrors were slightly different compared to the higher spec cars. They could not be folded, even manually. And no remote adjustment to the drivers mirror (maybe the L didn't have that either) - no dip function in rear view mirror - no grab handles front or back - Actually in Finland all cars came with front seat head rests (law-mandated again) - very basic dashboard (2-speed fan switch, no small vents for door windows (demisters?), no centre vents, no glove box lid, no radio, no cigarette lighter, no clock, no trip recorder in the odometer, no mid-mounted speaker in dash - no intermittent wipe in wipers. Only 2-speed with a "flick" function - no vanity mirrors in sun visors - no trim on wheel arches or c-pillars (or a or b-pillars for that matter) - very basic floor carpet with minimum sound insulation - very basic headlining - no protective moldings on doors - no push lock in tailgate - no antenna But my car had the anti-roll bar in the front, so that wasn't missing even in the lowly base model. I rather like all possible options, so I modified my car over the years quite heavily (mostly with XR3 bits).  |
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so maybe it was a bit cheaper?)
